Arm's Length
by Herahet
Summary: Takes place in da future!!!! When Shaina inherits the Millennium Puzzle from her deceased grandfather Yugi, she discovers the spirit within and must help him complete the final requirement in his destiny so he may rest in peace.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do own Yu-Gi-Oh. Yup, dat's it.

H: This takes place many, maaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnyyyyyyyyy years after YGO's general time. The main character is Yugi's granddaughter!

HH: Toldja it was in the future.

Wayne: We're not gonna say who Yugi married, tho. Or who Joey married. Or who anybody married, for that matter. ^_^

Eek: Wouldja just start already?

H: Okay, okay. Calm down, sheez.

***

I walked through the front door of my house that day to find my mother crying. "Mom, what's wrong?" I cried, running over and hugging her. I had only seen my mother cry twice before, once when Gramma had died and once when Dad had gone to war and never came back.

She threw her arms around my neck and sobbed onto my shoulder. "Shaina… Your… grandpa…" She whimpered. "He passed away…"

My eyes widened in shock. "Grampa Yugi? But he can't die! Nothing can kill him!" It was true, almost. Everyone in the family had great respect for Grampa Yugi, a noted Egyptologist. He was known for giving wonderful and entertaining gifts, wearing a weird triangle artifact around his neck, and surviving every cave-in, epidemic, and encounter with armed forces he came up against. He was immortal to all of us under twenty. The tears welled up in my eyes. Grampa had always been so nice to me, and now he was gone…I sat down and cried with my mom for many hours.

That Sunday we went to his funeral, but I couldn't stand it, so I sat in the bathroom in the church and blubbered. After he was buried, they lured me out and began to read the will and handing out the last presents he had written to give to everyone.

"Shaina," said my Uncle Joey (named after Grampa Yugi's best friend). "Grampa said that you, and only you, must have this." He handed me the necklace Grampa used to always wear, and an envelope addressed "To Shaina, From Grampa". I slowly opened it, trying not to rip the paper, and carefully unfolded the blue stationary inside. Struggling to read the loopy script, I sat down under a tree by myself.

"Dearest Shaina,

In all of my years of life, I have enjoyed children the most. I have watched my son and daughter grow up and my granchildren grow up, and I love every single one of them. However, I have sensed that you are different from the others; more mature, perhaps, more intelligent. Maybe. But there is something else. You have a strong heart, and that is more important than anything you will ever gain. You must remember that, Shaina, all of your life. I am giving the Millennium Puzzle to you because of this, and I hope it will bring you as many adventures as it brought me in my youth. Always wear it, and, above all things, DO NOT LOSE IT. Farewell, and, when you meet him, tell Yami that I am waiting for him in the Hall of Ma'at in the form of my young soul, as soon as he can rest in peace.

Love,

Grampa

I looked at the golden object in my hand. A brown cord went through the arch at the top of it, and the Eye of Horus stared up at me. I read the last sentence of the letter again. Gramps must have been insane, I thought. What does he mean, "As soon as you meet him". And "the Hall of Ma'at"? I shook my head. No such thing.

I felt my attention tugged back to the "Millennium Puzzle". Remembering the request in the letter, I hesitated, then slipped my head through the cord.

A gasp escaped my lips as a tingling sensation swept through me, then disppeared. I lifted up the Puzzle and stared curiously into the Eye. "Make a wish," a little voice whispered in my head.

"I wish…I wish for adventure." Then, as abruptly as it had come, the feeling of magic was gone, I was looking at a gift from a dead guy, and my grief came back.

But now I felt…_stronger_, somehow. A solitary tear escaped my eye, but it was brushed away and no more ventured out. Standing up, a sense of purpose welled up in me, though I didn't know what for at the time. When it came time to go home, I comforted Mom, and when it came time to go to school the next day, I got out of bed.

***

H: And so ends chappie one.

HH: *yawn* How fascinating.

H: Ø _Ø Oh shut up.

Wayne: U^_^ Please R&R. a new story hooray!


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter 2. Disclaimer: I own nothing. The name Joren is from Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small series, which I do not own. I don't own Hanasaki, either (from da YGO manga). Also, a friendly reminder that this is not yaoi or yuri. And my poetry stinks. H: Blah, I'm boooooooooooooooooooored. HH: -- I know what you mean. Wayne: U^^ Maybe if you started writing, you wouldn't be bored. H: *leaps up and slams hand into fist* Hey, I just had a great idea! Maybe if I start writing, I won't be bored! Yeah! *starts typing furiously* Wayne: Did you hear a word I said? Eek: Don't bother her. She's in another world. W&E: U.  
  
***  
  
I yawned and rolled over, slamming my fist on my alarm clock to get it to shut up. Blinking sleepily, I stumbled over to my closet and picked out a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. By the time I was dressed I was a little more awake, and remembered yesterday's events. I hesitated, then grabbed my li'l "heirloom" and strung it around my neck.  
  
Feeling slightly foolish, I walked down the hall to the kitchen, noticing that it was six-thirty and the sun wasn't up yet. I flicked on the switch and poured myself a bowl of granola, adding milk and crunching away, pondering Grampa Yugi's letter and the Millennium Puzzle. No one in the family knew why it was so precious to him, but we respected it greatly. It seemed to emanate an aura of power and importance.  
  
At seven-thirty I left the house, trudging down the sidewalk with my bajillion-pound backpack tossed over one shoulder, lost in thought. I was, rather rudely, brought back to the real world by one person laughing and poking me.  
  
"Hiya, Shaina!" my younger cousin, Inigo, greeted me. Technically, he's not my cousin, because he is the grandson of Grampa Yugi's best friend Joseph, but our two families are so close we consider ourselves related. Inigo's family lives four blocks from Mom and me. He's thirteen (one year younger than me). "What's with the weird pyramid?"  
  
"Morning, Inigo. It's a gift from Grampa Yugi, so don't joke about it." I gave him a noogie, thus severely messing up his already sticking-up blonde hair, and turned to the quiet, white-haired girl next to him. "Hey Raven, what's up?"  
  
Raven Bakura smiled in her shy way. "Nothing much," she said in her British accent, and the smile disappeared. "I heard about your grandfather." She laid a hand on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"  
  
I smiled back sadly, but, to my surprise, no tears came along with my sadness. "No," I replied, and put my hand on hers. "You're a good friend, though, and I'm thankful for that."  
  
Inigo broke the friendly moment by shouting, "Yo! We need to get to school! Remember, mine starts earlier than yours!"  
  
I giggled and shoved him. "Haha, you loser, you're still in middle school!" He stuck out his tongue at me, causing me to pinch it.  
  
"Oww," he whined as we started walking again. "Watcha do that for?"  
  
I tickled him on the back of his neck. "Coz you shouldn't stick your tongue out unless you're planning to use it." He made a face at me, trying not to laugh as I tickled harder. "Careful," I teased. "Your face might get stuck like that."  
  
Raven snickered and joined in, tickling the brown-eyed boy's ribs. "It's already ugly, you don't have to make it worse!"  
  
The blonde broke free from us. "Tormenting turds!" he pouted, avoiding our tickle attacks. As we passed his school, he walked up the front steps, yelling, "Evil entrepreneurs! Stupid succubuses!" I threw a rock at him and missed.  
  
Raven and I chatted as we walked the seven blocks to Domino High. I noticed that she tried not to bring up the topic of relatives, and I was thankful for that; I was still grieving for Yugi.  
  
Our conversation quickly ended, however, when a tall figure stepped in front of us, blocking our path. "Hey, squirt," it addressed me. "What's that around yer neck?"  
  
"Get out of my way, Joren," I grumbled, recognizing the school bully. He tormented me often because of my diminutive height, and everyone in the school was too afraid to report him. "My grampa gave it to me when he passed away, and I would hope you have enough honor to leave me alone for now to mourn."  
  
The thug looked taken aback for a moment, but then he laughed cruelly, a sneer making his squashed features even uglier. "Honor? What a wimp you are. Gimme that."  
  
He reached out to pluck the Puzzle away, but was abruptly stopped by Raven socking him in the jaw. He reeled backwards, clutching his mouth. He spat out a tooth and glared at us. "You asshole," Raven growled fiercely. "Get away. I don't want to see your face again for at least a week."  
  
"Raven, you shouldn't have done that," I murmured as Joren ran off. "You know how he is. He'll go after our friends next, when you're not around to protect them."  
  
"I know," she replied glumly, "but I just couldn't let him get away with that!"  
  
I gave her the "By the way" look. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"  
  
She blushed and shrugged. "Oh, well, you know how my grandfather, Ryou, was always getting bullied? When he had children, he promised that he would make sure they knew how to defend themselves. My mom carried on the tradition. I've trained a lot."  
  
I was amazed. "I never knew that."  
  
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," she said mysteriously, but before I could question, we were at school and had to go our separate ways.  
  
The morning was more interesting than usual, but not enough to pull me out of "school stupor". I kept getting comments (mostly rude) and questions about the Millennium Puzzle, and more than one person thought I was insane, but other than that it was a normal day.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally time for break. I yawned and turned down a hallway to take a shortcut to the cafeteria. All of a sudden, I could hear faint voices. I peered down the empty corridor but couldn't see anyone, so I cautiously made my way forward. As I neared a bend, the voices solidified into Joren's and another boy I knew, Tomoyo Hanasaki III. Hanasaki was short like me, and we shared the severe bully problem. I peeked around the corner to see what was going on.  
  
"Little twerp," Joren rumbled. "You're gonna get it." I stifled a gasp as the hulking boy's fist slammed into poor Hanasaki's stomach.  
  
I felt as though I was the one who had taken the blow. My stomach rolled and churned with hate for Joren, sympathy for Hanasaki, and disgust at myself for not doing anything. After a moment of these mixed feelings, I stepped out from my hiding place and confronted our tormenter.  
  
"Leave him alone, Joren," I commanded, trying to feel brave but quailing inside.  
  
He gave me his signature cruel sneer. "Oh yeah? Watcha gonna do if I don't, midget?"  
  
As anger and fear overwhelmed me, I felt that tingling sensation again. My eyes grew cloudy.I couldn't see.blackness weighed down.falling.falling.I'm.sorry, Hanasaki.but.I'mm.falliiinnnggg..  
  
Normal POV  
  
A strange expression crossed over Shaina's face for a split second, but then it was gone, replaced by one of determination and strength. The small girl's figure suddenly became more imposing, more powerful, and energy seemed to flow from her. Her voice no longer quivered, but instead was strong and angry. "You will regret that you ever crossed paths with me, Joren." The black-and-blonde girl spoke calmly, but there was an undercurrent of warning in her words.  
  
Joren was apparently too thick to notice this change in his foe or he simply didn't care, and sneered back, "Run away, little squirrel, before I come after you too. Regret crossing paths with you?! Hah! As if."  
  
Shaina's smiled, her eyes flashing dangerously. "If that is what you wish," she said softly. "I have not been in a young body for a long time, and it increases my power much. I gave you your chance to apologize and walk away unscathed, but you chose not to." Her voice abruptly rose in volume. "I challenge you to a Shadow Game, Joren the Oppressor. If I win, you must leave all the students in this school and me alone. If you win.I will give you myself for a day."  
  
"What are you babbling about?" the huge boy said contemptuously. "Never mind that. I'll play your little game. So, how does it start?"  
  
The spirit Yami relished in the feel of having a youthful body again, even if it was a girl's. He knew it was a risk, especially because this was a female he was in, but he had been summoned by the strong feelings, and it was his duty to protect the innocent. He saw Hanasaki creep away from the pair and run down the halls, and Yami was glad he would not witness this.  
  
"Well?" the other boy interrupted his thoughts. "How does it start?"  
  
Yami searched his mind. There wasn't anything to work with for a trap here; he would have to make do with physical trickery. "We'll have a fight. But not the regular kind," he added, seeing Joren's delighted face. "You can only use your hands and arms. No kicking, tripping, head butting, or the sort."  
  
Joren cracked his knuckles, grinning. "You're gonna be pounded into road kill, little squirrel."  
  
"On my signal," Yami Shaina said, ignoring the insult. "Ready.steady.GO!!!" They circled each other, Yami feeling lighter than usual in this body and hoping Shaina had SOME muscles.  
  
The larger boy made the first move, launching a powerhouse punch straight at the girl's face. Yami ducked and streaked behind Joren, pinching his ear and his neck - hard. Joren howled and spun around, but again Yami rushed behind him, pinching relentlessly.  
  
After a few rounds of this, Joren began to catch on, and managed to get a glancing blow on Yami Shaina's shoulder. This caused the smaller teen to slow, and Yami decided it was time to end this.  
  
He ducked under Joren's swinging arms and touched a small patch of skin between his ear and neck. Immediately, Joren stiffened, unimaginable pain coursing through his body. His face scrunched up in agony, jaw and fists clenched tight.  
  
"I'm holding a special nerve point," the short girl/boy told him quietly. "I can let you go, or I can keep you here in pain for as long as I want. I think we'll both agree that I have won this game. Do you surrender?" Joren nodded his head slightly. Yami Shaina released the nerve and the bigger boy seemed about to collapse, then shot one horrified look at Shaina before scampering as fast as he could down the hall and out of sight.  
  
Yami sighed mentally and thought about the conversation he and Yugi had had a few months earlier.  
  
*flashback*  
  
"My life is coming to an end," Yugi said sadly. "We need to think of someone to inherit the Puzzle."  
  
Yami had felt a pang of grief stab through him. Lose his best friend, Yugi? The thought was almost unbearable. Struggling not to break, he said in a strangled voice, "What about that one grandchild of yours? Shaina?"  
  
Yugi looked thoughtful. "Yes, I think Shaina will be a good choice. She has a strong soul. She will help you."  
  
Yami and Yugi had thought that after the Pharaoh's missions were completed, he would be able to go to the Hall of Ma'at and pass into the afterlife, but something had stopped him. Yami knew that, before he could rest, he must solve the riddle the gods had sent to him. He had found it one day inscribed in hieroglyphs on one wall of his soul room:  
  
Pharaoh, you have done your task, Your rest is near at hand. And yet, there is one test that you must pass, To reach the Unefer Land.  
  
There are but three eternity's: One, the gods' might. Two, the unstoppable march of time. Three, heart's golden sight.  
  
This last one is the one you seek, You'll find it everywhere. Each soul contains it, hidden deep, For the One to share.  
  
So seek, good Pharaoh, you'll know the One Who'll steal your soul from you. We send our power one last time, To grant your wish for you.  
  
"But I haven't made any wishes!" Yami had told Yugi, puzzled (A/N: Hee hee, puzzled. Okay, bad pun, sowwy!). Yugi had simply shrugged his shoulders.  
  
*end flashback*  
  
How was this, this girl going to help him? He thought trouble would be coming, because of the "steal your soul" line, but the rest of the riddle seemed happy. Golden sight? Something all souls have? It was just too difficult.  
  
A bell rang, startling the ancient spirit out of his thoughts. He relinquished control back to Shaina and retreated to his soul room.  
  
***  
  
H: And that's it for this chappie! *mock-happiness* Yay. I got one more review. Woopee. HH: *rolls eyes* I like this fic. H: *rolls eyes back* That's coz you helped write it, dummy. HH: Oh yeah. Eek: Hey, isn't Yami a bit sexist at the end of this chapter? He acts like girls can't do anything by themselves! *rolls eyes* H: Remember, Eek, he knew Tea, and she probably influenced those opinions. *rolls eyes* Eek: Oooohhhh, I get it now. *rolls eyes* Wayne: *rolls eyes* Sorry, I had to get in on the rolling-eye action. Anyway, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE FRIGGIN' REVIEW PEOPLES!!! WE'RE DYIN' HERE WE NEED SOME DAMN REVIEWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEEEEEEEAAAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE----- H: ALRIGHT!!! They get the point! *holding a long pointy spear* Er.heh heh heh. point.. *hides spear behind back* *to readers* At least, I hope you do. HH: In case you don't understand, a translation: Please Read and Review. We would greatly appreciate it if you would. Thank you. All: Ja'ne! *wave* 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Why do we have to put these things? It's not like any of us actually OWN an anime or manga. If we did, we'd probably be filthy rich and could publish our stories instead of registering them as fanfiction. So what's the point? *sigh* I don't own YGO, but I do own my characters that I invent, i.e. Shaina, Raven, etc.  
  
H: Blah, one more review.that makes how many so far? Three? HH: Yup. H: Thanks to those really nice peeps who actually DID review.*bursts into tears* WWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH!!!!!! I'm so unloved!!! Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! HH: *sigh* *reading a magazine* Shut up. H: NO!!! NOBODY LOVES ME!!! LET ME DROWN IN MY MISERY!!! HH: *sighs and conks Hera on the head without even looking up* I SAID, shut up. H: *unconcious* .......  
  
Shaina's POV  
  
I woke up standing, my shoulder aching. Joren and Hanasaki were nowhere in sight, but students were rushing around everywhere, getting to classrooms. Numbly, I trudged to class, ashamed at my cowardice. Fainting like that! Ugh!.Imagine my surprise when Hanasaki came up and thanked me!  
  
"You were really brave back there," he told me, eyes shining. "Thank you so much!"  
  
"Huh?" I gaped like an idiot. "I wasn't brave! I passed out!"  
  
Hanasaki looked confused. "But.but you made Joren go running."  
  
"I did?" I was just as confused as my classmate. "I-" The bell rang just then and we rushed to our seats.  
  
I sat there pondering our conversation. What was going on? I didn't remember any of that stuff happening! Was Hanasaki just trying to make me feel better? I shook my head. No, he wasn't the type to do that. Then what.?  
  
I jerked violently as I heard a masculine voice say, "It was me." I looked around, but everyone's attention was focused on the teacher. The voice spoke again. "I am in the Millennium Puzzle." I stared at the artifact around my neck in disbelief. Surely someone was trying to make a fool out of me! But no one I could see was speaking.  
  
"I've gone insane!" I thought, panicking. "I'm hearing voices! Mom's gonna flip!"  
  
"You're not hearing voices!" the voice said. "You're hearing me speaking to you telepathically. My name is Yami, and I am the spirit of the Pharaoh locked in the Puzzle."  
  
"No!" I thought desperately. "You're just my imagination! You're-" I cut myself off. "Did you say your name was Yami?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Something clicked in my brain. "Holy poo! Yugi told me about someone named Yami in his letter! Then that means.Yugi was insane too!"  
  
Yami sweatdropped mentally. "No," he told me, "Yugi was my good friend, and he was definitely not insane."  
  
"I'll go to see the minister at the church." I thought to myself. "If I'm being possessed, then he should be able to help me. Or maybe there's an add for an exorcist in the yellow pages."  
  
"Are you listening to me?!" the spirit in my head shouted.  
  
"Not really," I thought absentmindedly. "If you're a demon trying to possess me, then I shouldn't be talking, er, thinking to you, should I?"  
  
Yami sighed in exasperation. "I'm not evil! I am a good spirit!"  
  
"Oh yeah?" I challenged. "Prove it."  
  
"Today when you thought you fainted? I took over and defeated that boy Joren for you."  
  
Now what Hanasaki said started to make sense. "I still don't like the idea of you controlling me whenever you feel like it," I replied. "How do I know you won't make me do something really embarrassing or scary?"  
  
The spirit explained patiently, "Because I am a good spirit. I only help you when you really need me, like today when you couldn't save your friend."  
  
I jumped as the teacher slammed her ruler on my desk. "Miss Muto, would you please recite for the class the quadratic formula? Or are you above such petty trivialities that you don't have to pay attention like the rest of your peers?"  
  
I blushed and dutifully spoke: "X equals the opposite of b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac, all over 2a." The teacher scowled as though she had really wanted to chew me out (she probably did, actually) and moved further down the aisle to pounce upon some other unfortunate victim.  
  
"See what trouble you got me into?!" I hissed mentally. "Just go away for now! I don't have the energy to deal with dead people talking in my head right now."  
  
"Very well," Yami muttered sullenly, and mumbled under his breath something that sounded astonishingly like, "Mortals. Feh."  
  
***  
  
H: *sniffle* I have writer's block! HH: Woopee. H: And yet I'm starting a new story. HH: O_O Why don't you finish one?! H: Okay, okay, calm down. *to readers (the sad few she has)* PLEASE REVIEW, and tell yer friends about this story, PLEASE!!! And, um, be sure to check out Damned Fool, Chapter 10 was just updated on that, and featured Herahet acting like a maniac. Oh, wait.she is. *grin* Okay, acting like an insane possum (don't ask, just read). Yuppers, that sounds about right. Okey- dokey, Dr. Jones, hold onto your potatoes!!! *worships Indiana Jones* HH: U-- Please.read.and.review.thank.you. 


End file.
